Madison

Madison is a town in the southeastern corner of New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, occupying a central location on Connecticut's Long Island Sound shoreline. The population was 18,269 at the 2010 census.Madison was first settled in 1641. Throughout the 18th century, Madison was known as East Guilford until it was incorporated as a town in 1826. Since then, Madison and Guilford have shared many cultural and economic similarities despite an unofficial high school rivalry.Bill Clinton favorably mentions the town in his autobiography, My Life.BeachesHammonasset Beach State Park possesses the state's longest public beach, with campsites, picnic areas, and a fishing pier, and is extremely popular in the summer causing traffic jams on I-95 on peak days.Surf Club Beach is the town's major public beach with lifeguards and recreational facilities for baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, and horseshoes. It features playgrounds for children and picnic tables for families, as well as sailboat and kayak racks. It is also home to several athletic fields, including Strong Field, the town's multi-purpose athletic complex.East Wharf, sometimes referred to as the "purple sand beach," has life guards, a pier, kayak and sailboat racks in addition to a gazebo.